Bracket construction for mirrors



Sept 14, 1954 R. D. HAUGAARD BRACKET CONSTRUCTION FOR MIRRORS AND THE LIKE Filed Dec. 21, 1951 ROBERT D. HAUGAARD,

IN V EN TOR.

HUEBNER, BEEHLER: WORREL 8 HERZIG,

ATTDQNEVS.

Patented Sept. 14, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRACKET CONSTRUCTION FOR MIRRORS AND THE LIKE 7 Claims.

This invention relates to brackets for hanging glass mirrors or the like, and more particularly relates to brackets for the desired purpose of versatile, adjustable and universally adaptable, improved use, either alone or in association with prior art devices.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide a new and improved hanger bracket for mirrors and the like, equally applicable for mirror support against a wall or upon an independent article of furniture, such as a dresser.

It is another object of the invention to provide a new and improved hanger construction for use upon a wall where the mirror is to be hung in a position off-center" from the available wall studs.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved bracket means for the desired purposes described of new and improved simplified construction, capable of mass production at low cost, secure and effective in use, attractive in appearance, providing facility of assembly or disassembly under otherwise difficult conditions, permitting a selection of types of securement, which assures uniform mounting, and which automatically brings about a desired spacing of the back of the mirror from the surface area or other station to which it is to be applied.

Still another object of the invention is to provide such a hanger bracket which is relatively foolproof and capable of use in any of its applications by unskilled persons, all in a manner to mitigate danger of accidental dislodgment while permitting ready deliberate removal.

It is also among the objects of this invention to provide improvements over prior art devices heretofore intended to accomplish generally similar purposes.

Other objects and purposes will appear and be more fully apparent as set forth in the following description when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hanger bracket embodying this invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of a bracket corresponding to that of Figure l as used.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken as on a line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view showing a bracket corresponding to the first three figures as used in combination with a horizontal channel member likewise embodying this invention.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of such horizontal channel member, as shown and referred to in connection with Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing a mode of use of the instant invention including the bracket of the first three figures in combination with a modified form of bracket likewise embodying this invention, and illustrating their association with prior art devices.

Figure '7 is a detailed view of a bracket arrangement, in perspective, as shown in Figure 6, parts being fragmentarily shown.

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken as on a line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is illustrated, by way of example but not of limitation, a generally T-shaped hanger, generally designated by the numeral I0, preferably comprising arms ll and i2, having holes l3 therein and offset at M and I5 from the central body portion I6 and leg ll of the hanger. The leg I1 is preferably slightly tapered downwardly as shown in order to facilitate its intended use if desired.

The body it and leg I! are provided with an inverted keyhole slot 18 comprising an annular opening IS in the region of the leg I! and an elongate vertical slot 20 in communication with the opening i9.

In the use of the T-hanger l0 (Figure l) first having reference to Figures 2 and 3, a wood screw 25 maybe secured through the plaster or other surface coating 26 of a wall and in the conventional stud 21 thereof. The head 28 of such screw, nail or the like, is permitted to project slightly.

Any number of hangers I0 are secured to the wood or composition back 29 of a mirror 30, as by means of the openings l3 through which nails, bolts or screws are passed.

After securement of the hangers 10 to the back 29 of the mirror, and the insertion of corresponding screws 25 or the like, in the wall, with the heads 28 slightly projecting as aforesaid, the mirror assembly l0-29-30 is hung on the screws 25 by passing the heads 28 through the openings 29 in the inverted keyhole slots l8, then lowering the mirror assembly until the screw heads 28 enter the vertical slots 20 of the hangers.

The generally T-shaped configuration of the hangers. permits adequate body dimensions for the accommodation of the inverted T-slot it. In addition, however, the stem of the T is optionally insertable into channel members 35 and 35 secured vertically at the back 31 of a dresser 38 or the like, as by means of conventional or other prior art strap brackets 39. Such use is shown most clearly in Figure '7, wherein the stem ll of a hanger I is confined within the open upper end 40 of a channel 35. The offset |4I5 of the central body, includin the leg I! of the hanger, permits a fiush mounting and accommodates the wall thickness of the channel member at the back of the mirror, and the tapered sides of the leg I! accommodate the same to channels of varying diameter.

In order to provide additional securement for the dresser-supported mirror, a modified form of hanger 45 may be employed. Such modified bracket is preferably formed with a flat body 46 having screw accommodating openings at -48, and having cars 49 and 59 offset outwardly from the body 46 and in normal depending relationship thereto. Thereby the arms 5| of the strap bracket 39 are accommodated and the modified bracket 45 supported thereon.

The spacing of the strap bracket 39 longitudinally of the channel can be altered at will by an adjusting bolt 52 threaded into a clamping piece 53, whose operating outer surface preferably matches the inner surface of the channel 35. In lieu pf the conventional securement (not shown) of the arms 5| of the strap bracket 39 to the back of the mirror, the instant modified bracket 45 is secured to the back, and the strap bracket 39 is slid up under the ears 4950 following preliminary hanging of the mirror by means of the hangers I9 at the tops of the channels -36. When the strap brackets 39 are secured under said ears 4950, outward swinging movement of the bottom of the mirror is prevented, but the mirror as a whole is restrained against sidewise movement, and is capable of easy removal simply by lifting the same off the channels 3535.

If desired, the arms 5| of the strap bracket can be so related to the degree of oifset of the cars 49 and 50 that upon tightening of the bolt 52, a tight frictional engagement between said ears and said arms is obtained to restrain even vertical movement of the mirror. This sometimes desired result can be more eiTectively achieved by making the ears 49 and 50 with more elongate and with inwardly oifset ends 54, as illustrated most clearly in dotted outline in Figure 7. In such event, slight loosening of the screws 41 and 48 will free the arms 5|, but in any event, the instant construction permits the universal adaptability of mirrors to supports where the channels and corresponding hangers and brackets are spaced apart a standard distance, say, 32 inches, corresponding to double the normal spacing between vertical wall studs.

In some cases it is desirable to hang mirrors in an off-center relationship to the studs in a wall. In such case, the instant hanger H1, or the modified bracket 45, may be employed in combination with a generally J-shaped elongate channel 56 (Figure 5), wherein the long arm 51 of the J is provided with nail or screw holes 58 at approximate one-inch intervals in order that studs may be found through any of them. The mirror equipped with said hangers Ill or is then hung on the previously wall-secured J-channel 56 by means of the legs I! of the former, or cars 49 and of the latter, as shown most clearly in Figure 4. In order to prevent lateral displacement of the mirror from the channel 59, the shorter arm 59 of the J-channel may be struck at either end 606l and pinched against the longer arm 51. This may be done at positions approximating but not exactly coinciding with the location of said legs I! or ears Ail-50. The proportions of the leg I! and channel 56 may be such that the bottom of the leg is supported in the bottom of the channel, as shown in Figure 4, but where the supported structure is unusually heavy, the ends of the legs I! may be cut off to permit the bottom of the offsets l4 and IE to rest directly upon the upper edge of the shorter arm 59.

This invention features the provision of a universally adaptable hanger for mirrors and the like, by which they may be hung, if desired, even upon conventional wires 62, by looping said wires around the leg ll, or knotting the same in or through the inverted keyhole slot H], as shown in dotted outline in Figure 1. Securement without danger of accidental displacement, and preferably appropriately spaced slightly outwardly from the wall surface, is easily obtained. The mirrors can be equipped with brackets or hangers of the instant design at standard spaced intervals when shipped from the factory. They may then be easily secured on nails or screws placed in studs spaced standard distances apart, and in the absence of such studs in appropriate locations, they may be secured in ofi-center positions by means of the J-channel of Figures 4 and 5. Their ready adjustability and wide adaptability also permit their use without modification in connection with articles of furniture such as dressers or the like.

Preferably the instant brackets and hangers are made of sheet metal.

While I have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and ,preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices.

The invention having been herein described, what I claim and seek to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A sheet metal hanger of the character described for securing a body to a vertical mirror frame surface, a depending leg normally ofiset outwardly from and adapted to lie parallel with the plane of said fiat side, a second bracket including a pair of spaced normally downwardly directed ears offset outwardly from the plane of said flat side of the body, a strap bracket, and a channel member including adjustable means for clamping said strap bracket in relative locations on said channel, said strap bracket including laterally extending opposed arms adapted to be engaged and held under said ears upon selective clamping of said strap bracket along said channel member.

2. A hanger as defined in claim 1, wherein the offset of said spaced ears confine said laterally extending opposed arms against longitudinal movement in either direction relative to said channel in cooperation with said first bracket.

3. In means for supporting a mirror or the like in a preselected position above a base, including an elongate channeled support member having an opening in an upper end supported on the base in a substantially vertical position, the novelty comprising: a first hanger member fixedly secured to the back of the mirror and having a depending ear adapted for axial insertion into the opening in the upper end of the channeled member for hanging the mirror thereon, a second han e member comprising a clamp element includin laterally extending ears engageable at a selective station along the channeled member, and a bracket element fixedly secured to the back of the mirror at a position spaced below the first hanger member, said bracket element havin horizontally spaced ears extending longitudinally relative to said channeled support member, said latter ears being adapted to straddle said channeled support member and being offset downwardly to accommodate the ears of said clamp element for restraining said mirror from swinging movement about the first hanger member.

4. In means for supporting a mirror or the like, as defined in claim 3. said longitudinally extending ears being dependently secured on said mirror whereby said mirror can be lifted vertically off said support member.

5. A support for a mirror having a back comprising a vertical support member secured to the back of the mirror, said. support member having a recess at the top thereof, a first hook-type bracket adapted to be secured to the back of the mirror adjacent the top edge thereof and having a portion adapted to hook into and engage in said recess to hang the mirror on the vertical support, a hook-type second bracket adapted to be secured to the back of the mirror at a position spaced below the first bracket, and a clamp slidable along the vertical support member and releasably clampable thereon at a position corresponding to that of the second bracket, said clamp including ears adapted to be retained within a hook forming portion of said second hooklike bracket.

6. In support apparatus for mirrors and the like, positioned over a base, said apparatus including vertical support members secured on the base and complementary hook and eye type means at the top of the support member for hanging a mirror thereon, said support member being formed with a longitudinal channel, clamp means adapted to be releasably secured along said vertical support member by means of said channel and having laterally projecting ears adapted to be positioned at either side of the channel and shaped to accommodate the external configuration of the vertical support member so that said lateral ears are adapted to be positioned adjacent the back of the mirror, and a bracket having a pair of horizontally spaced, downwardly directed and outwardly ofiset ears adapted to be positioned at opposite sides of the vertical support member so as to engage said laterally extending ears on said clamp means.

7. In combination, an elongate channel member having an open end and a substantially C-shaped transverse cross-section defining a slot there along, a substantially T-shaped bracket having the leg of the T offset outwardly from the ends of the arms, said leg being adapted to be inserted into said open end of said channel member, a substantially C-shaped bracket member having a central body portion and horizontally spaced, upwardly directed parallel ears offset outwardly from the body, a strap bracket member having central means extending into the slot of said channel member for adjustably clamping the same in selected positions along said channel member, said strap member also having laterally extending opposed arms adapted to be engaged under said ears upon said bracket member for clamping securement of said arms to said channel member, means for securing said T- shaped bracket and said C-shaped bracket member to the back of a mirror, and for securing said channel member to a base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 236,865 Walker Jan. 18, 1881 571,698 Siddall Nov. 17, 1896 1,835,042 Hammer Dec. 8, 1931 1,883,834 Turner Oct. 18, 1932 1,887,159 Knight Nov. 8, 1932 1,908,200 Webster May 9, 1933 1,951,583 Swanson Mar. 20, 1934 2,299,443 Walmsley Oct. 20, 1942 2,313,532 Garrett Mar. 9, 1943 2,335,896 Anderson Dec. 7, 1943 2,532,162 Goss Nov. 28, 1950 2,607,553 Garrett Aug. 19, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,511 Great Britain of 1908 593,348 Great Britain Oct. 14, 1947 

